The old man is not ready to limp into the sunset just yet.

The 80-year-old Jacob Zuma was elected KwaZulu-Natal chairperson of the South African National Civic Organisation at Sanco's two-day conference, which is under way in Durban.

The little-known Sanco was once a revered community-based organisation that fought for access to basic services.

Its influence in the community got it included in the ANC-led tripartite alliance, along with Cosatu and the SACP, in the 90s.

Today a shadow of its former self, Sanco is a useful platform for politicians who seek to resuscitate their flagging careers.

Since Zuma's run-ins with the law, a faction of Sanco has supported him.

This latest strategy means Zuma has found a way to invite himself back to the political high table.

His popularity in the ANC has waned and the new leadership of the ANC in the province has ditched him for ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile.

But if Zuma becomes president of the civic organisation, he would represent it in regular engagements of the tripartite alliance.

Zuma is expected to breathe new life into Sanco, bringing with him MK veteran Carl Niehaus and ousted ANC secretary Ace Magashule.

This would make Sanco the new home of the so-called RET forces that have been trying to sabotage the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa for the past five years.

But before they all embrace each other and sing khumbaya, they have to deal with the fact that another faction of Sanco, led by Lawrence Dube, claims to be the real Sanco.